Street or station indicator



(No Model.)

o. H. JENNE. STREET 0R STATION INDICATOR.

Paten-ted Nov. 12', 1889.

3mm/1,450: MW

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

CHARLES H. JENNE, OF INDIANAPOLISNDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DAYTON INDICATOR OO., OF DAYTON, OHIO.

STREET. OR -STATION INDICATOR.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,977, dated November 12, 1889.

` Application filed June 17, 1889. Serial No. 314,624. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. JENNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street or Station Indicators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in indicators or devices for exhibiting in railway-cars, for the information of the passengers, the names or numbers of streets or stations along the route in successive order and as they are approached by the car.

The object of my invention is to provide a street or station indicator which will be simple in its-parts, reliable and effective in operation, and one which will not be liable to get out of. order.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a front View of my improved indicator with a portion broken away. Fig. II is a transverse sectional view taken on the line :1; Fig. I.

Fig. III is also a sectional view taken on the line y fy of Fig. I.

A indicates the box or case in which the operatingparts of my device are located, a portion of the front part of the box being cut away and adapted to receive the glass plate E, said plate being held in suitable guides or grooves formed in the case, and through which observation is had of the indicating-cards. Partitions A are placed in the end of the box or case A, so as to form chambers B for holding the devices which operate the card moving and holding mechanism.

M are plates secured to the inside of the outer casing of the box, as shown in Fig. II, and in which are pivoted the arms t', one at each end. To the lower end of the arms i, and extending through slots formed in the partitions A is secured the rod R, said rod extending through from. end to end of the case, as has already been intimated, and to which are rigidly secured the closing-arms o, the oflice or function of which is to press the cards F close together and hold them for- 'ward against the glass plate E. On the rod are loosely suspended one or more fingers p, the function of which is to arrest the backward movement of the cards as they are carried up and turned over by the mov ement of the card-operating frame.

In the chamber B are located the frames D, said frames being connected by a crossbar G, to the center of which the operating cord or rope is attached. The frames D are connected to the arms t' by means of the rods n.

The partitions A are provided with curved slots T, in which the ends of the cross-bar R are placed, said bar being caused to follow in the curved slots by means of the pivoted arms i and rods fn, and when the frames D are raised by means of the cross-bar'G and cord L, passing over the pulley K, the rod R will rock on its pivoted ends, thus swinging the arms 0 back and allowing the card, which has just been raised and turned over by the guide-brackets J, to fall down and stand on its edge to the rear of the stack. When the frames D are let fall, the ends of the bars o come against the pack of cards and force them forward against the observation-plate.

Toprevent the cards from falling backward while the frames D are being raised, I employ the following devices:

f are bars or rods secured to the frames, and extend downward toward the bottom of the case, and are located within the chambers B. The lower ends of the bars f are bent at right angles, and project through slots formed in the partition-walls A so that when the frames D are raised the bent portion of the bars f 9o will also be raised, and, coming in contact with the rear card, will hold the pack in a vertical position, and when the frames are lowered the arms 0 will impinge on the back o'f the pack of cards and force the pack forward, as has been already stated. When the frames D are in their lowest position, the horizontal portion of the bar f is on the bottom of the case, and the corners of the cards,

being cut away, allow the arms o to readily roo push the cards over toward the front of the case. The lower inner ends of the frames D are connected by a thin metallic plate s, the lower inner edge of said plate being bent so as to form a hook or flange for engaging the lower edge of the first card in, the pack and lift it up, thus displaying the card next there- 011, it being understood that the street or stations are printed on both sides of the cards, so that when the card has been exhibited it is raised and turned over and deposited in such position in the case that when it is again elevated to view its opposite face is presented and both faces of the cards are utilized.

N are inclined planes or pieces attached to the bottom of the case and on which the cards are supported on their edges, the object of which is to allow the top of cach card to stand slightly7 above and rest against each preceding card, and also to allow the cards to be more readily pushed forward by the arms o.

I are arms or projections secured to the rear ends of the inclined planes N, which arrest the swinging movement of the fingers j), so that the upper ends of said fingers will not fall within the travel or circuit of the cards as they are turning over in their descentfrom the upper portion of the case.

The dotted lines in Fig. III indicate the position of the card as it is raised, the top falling backward.

Then it is desired to lock the device so as to prevent it being tampered with, the frames l) are slightly raised and allowed to fall down to their original position. This raises one of the cards a short distance, and the pressure of the arms o on the rear of the pack causes this card to remain in its elevated position. Now, ifV the frame D be raised again, another card will be partially raised, thus clogging up the card-slot and preventing any further working of the machine until the cards are prop` erly placed.

It will be noticed that no springs are used in the construction of my device and that all the parts are positively operated, thus making it almost impossible for the parts to be-` come broken,no matter how rough the usage.

As before intimated, the four corners of the cards are cut away, and as they are pushed forward by the arms 0 they pass under the guides a', said guides being secured to each of the partitions A near the observatiolr plate and at a suliicient distance therefrom to allow a single card to pass n p in front of the guides a.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A station-indicator for railway-cars, consisting of a suitable case in which the namebearing cards or plates are placed, a cardelevating frame for engaging the lower edge of the card, anda swinging frame carrying arms which impinge on the rear side of the pack of cards to force them forward into position against the front of the case, as set forth.

2. In a station or street indicator for railway-cars or other vehicles, a card-elcvating frame carrying bent rods for holding the cards in a vertical position during the time the cards are being shifted, in combination with rocking or swinging arms for forcing the pack of cards forward after the cards have been shifted.

In a station or street indicator for railway cars or other vehicles, a case having chambers in its ends in which the card-ele rating frames are located, a cross-bar connecting said frames carrying arms for forcing the cards against the observation-plate, and curved slots in which the cross-bar is guided for throwing the arms in and out of contact with the cards, as set forth.

4. In a station or street indicator, a crossbar adapted to work in curved guide-slots and connected to the card-operating frame, as described, said cross-bar carrying rigid arms o, and swinging arms p, whereby the cards are guided while turning over and held against the front side of the case, as set forth.

5. In a device for indicating streets and stations for railway-cars, the combination of the rocking arms o', for forcing. the cards against the observation-plate, with the cardlifting frame and the guides a', whereby only a single card is permitted to pass up, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

(lllARLEb Il. JEUNE.

Witnesses:

. IicKEnING, SUMNER T. SMrrH.

IOO 

